LONDON
\nPalestinians in the Gaza Strip are experiencing \u201calmost unparalleled\u201d suffering, one of the world\u2019s foremost humanitarian officials has warned following a visit to the enclave.
\nJan Egeland, secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, traveled to Gaza this week, reporting that families, widows and children have been pushed \u201cbeyond breaking point\u201d by Israel\u2019s year-long war.
\nHe witnessed \u201cscene after scene of absolute despair\u201d as Palestinian families had been torn apart by attacks, with survivors unable to bury their dead relatives. Gaza has been rendered \u201cuninhabitable\u201d as a result of Israel\u2019s policies, supported by Western-supplied weaponry, Egeland said.
\n\u201cThis is in no way a lawful response, a targeted operation of \u2018self-defence\u2019 to dismantle armed groups, or warfare consistent with humanitarian law,\u201d he added. \u201cThe families, widows and children I have spoken to are enduring suffering almost unparalleled to anywhere in recent history. There is no possible justification for continued war and destruction.\u201d
\nSince last year, families across the enclave have been repeatedly forced to move from one area to another as a result of Israeli evacuation orders, which now cover 80 percent of Gaza.
\nThe situation is even direr in northern Gaza, where a month-long Israeli offensive and siege have cut off an estimated 100,000 people from humanitarian aid.
\nAn Israeli brigadier general said this week that there is no intention of allowing the return of Palestinians to their homes in northern Gaza.Such a policy of forcible transfer would amount to war crimes, humanitarian law experts have said. As aid continues to be cut off from the Palestinian population, the UN has condemned \u201cunlawful interference with humanitarian assistance and orders that are leading to forced displacement.\u201d
\nEgeland warned of the \u201ccatastrophic impact of strangled aid flows\u201d on the Palestinian population, with people left unable to access food or water for days at a time. The former Norwegian foreign minister and diplomat said: \u201cThere has not been a single week since the start of this war when sufficient aid was delivered in Gaza.
\n\u201d Despite the acute shortage of humanitarian aid, Israel\u2019s parliament this week passed bills banning the UN Relief & Works Agency from operating in the Occupied Territories, designating it as a terrorist organization. Egeland called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to prevent the \u201cdeadly\u201d situation from worsening, adding:
\n\u201cThose in power on all sides act with impunity, while millions across Gaza and the region pay a terrible price.\u201cHumanitarians can speak out on what we are seeing, but only those in power can end this nightmare.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LONDON Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are experiencing \u201calmost unparalleled\u201d suffering, one of the world\u2019s foremost humanitarian officials has warned following a visit to the enclave. Jan Egeland, secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, traveled to Gaza this week, reporting that families, widows and children have been pushed \u201cbeyond breaking point\u201d by Israel\u2019s year-long war. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-442489","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n